THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 11 



yet books which treat of them have not become common ; in 

 fact, the species are so numerous, that it may be doubted 

 whether we shall ever have manuals for identifying all of 

 them as we have for the flowering plants. The more individ- 

 ualized specimens however, are easy to recognize and it is 

 possible to have a "speaking acquaintance" with many of 

 them without a manual. 



It may be said by way of preface that none of the fungi 

 are poisonous to the touch, however harmful they may be 

 when taken into the stomach. The beginner can make his in- 

 vestigations in perfect safety. Some allied groups are much 

 like the mushrooms in appearance. Certain species of the 

 hedgehog or spine mushrooms (Hydnuin) for instance, have 

 the conventional mushroom cap, but underneath instead of 

 gills, there are numerous little teeth which bear the spores. 

 There are many species in this genus, which present great di- 

 versity of form. Some have stems and caps, some are stemless 

 and others again have stems with apparently no caps. In all, 

 the spores are borne on little teeth, or tooth-like projections, 

 which circumstance gives the name of prickly fungi to this 

 family. A few of the species are edible, but a large number 

 are too small or inconspicuous to be of any account. 



Another group of mushroom-like fungi, belongs to the 

 genus Boletus and its allies. They are so little known to the 

 public as to have no common names, but are, nevertheless, 

 fairly abundant, both as regards species and numbers. They 

 are mostly fleshy plants with cushion-like caps, the under sur- 

 face of which is full of tiny rounded openings. These pores 

 are the mouths of small tubes extending into the interior in 

 the lining of which the spores are borne. When they are ripe, 

 they are poured out through the tubes. Some of the species 

 are edible, but one whole section in which the pores are red- 

 bordered is considered poisonous. In this case, Nature has 

 kindly hung out a danger signal that "all who run may read." 



